(ANN125583) Támogató: Hungarian National Research, Development and Innovation Office
(SNN114490)
(ÚNKP-19-4)
(ÚNKP-20-3)
(UNKP-21-3)
Szakterületek:
Klinikai orvostan
Objectives: Circulating levels of activin A (ActA) and follistatin (FST) have been
investigated in various disorders including malignancies. However, to date, their
diagnostic and prognostic relevance is largely unknown in small cell lung cancer (SCLC).
Our aim was to evaluate circulating ActA and FST levels as potential biomarkers in
this devastating disease.Methods: Seventy-nine Caucasian SCLC patients and 67 age-
and sex-matched healthy volunteers were included in this study. Circulating ActA and
FST concentrations were measured by ELISA and correlated with clinico-pathological
parameters and long-term outcomes.Results: Plasma ActA and FST concentrations were
significantly elevated in SCLC patients when compared to healthy volunteers (p < 0.0001).
Furthermore, extensive-stage SCLC patients had significantly higher circulating ActA
levels than those with limited-stage disease (p = 0.0179). Circulating FST concentration
was not associated with disease stage (p = 0.6859). Notably, patients with high (>=
548.8 pg/ml) plasma ActA concentration exhibited significantly worse median overall
survival (OS) compared to those with low (<548.8 pg/ml) ActA levels (p = 0.0009).
Moreover, Cox regression analysis adjusted for clinicopathological parameters revealed
that high ActA concentration is an independent predictor of shorter OS (HR: 1.932;
p = 0.023). No significant differences in OS have been observed with regards to plasma
FST levels (p = 0.1218).Conclusion: Blood ActA levels are elevated and correlate with
disease stage in SCLC patients. Measurement of circulating ActA levels might help
in the estimation of prognosis in patients with SCLC.
